Baylor head coach Art Briles takes the field before the Texas Tech University Red Raiders vs. the Baylor University Bears NCAA football game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington on Saturday, November 16, 2013. (Louis DeLuca/Dallas Morning News)

GLENDALE, Ariz. — With the Texas football coaching search far closer to the end that than beginning, things are actually preceding methodically and even predictably.

Unless things change dramatically at the 11th hour and the search goes certifiably crazy, then the names most in play are Louisville’s Charlie Strong and Baylor’s Art Briles, according to industry sources familiar with the search.

Each was among four names that sources indicated were high on Texas’ radar screen on Saturday.

Strong interviewed Tuesday with Texas athletic Steve Patterson, sources confirmed, and has become a creditable alternative after a positive meeting.

Briles, who coached Baylor in Wednesday’s Fiesta Bowl, will almost certainly be next on Patterson’s to-do list. Sources describe Briles as happy and appreciative for the support at Baylor, which has invested more than $360 million in facilities. But he was also described as extremely intrigued by the possibilities and resources at a major state university like Texas in his home state.

Jimbo Fisher may have signaled that he and Texas are no longer a potential power couple by finally signing his contract extension at Florida State and by the timing on Tuesday.

Maybe there’s another name lurking out there, perhaps an NFL coach. For now, most of the usual suspects you heard for months are off the board.

Patterson said at the Valero Alamo Bowl that one of his jobs was to sort between candidates with a sincere interest and those looking for pay raises at their current schools. So far he’s followed that plan.

To post a comment, log into your chosen social network and then add your comment below. Your comments are subject to our Terms of Service and the privacy policy and terms of service of your social network. If you do not want to comment with a social network, please consider writing a letter to the editor.